19 August 2015 Current Affair Download | Daily GK Updates
1. President
Pranab Mukherjee's wife Suvra Mukherjee passed away. The President's
wife, Suvra Mukherjee, had been ill for some time. Country's First Lady
founded the 'Geetanjali Troupe', whose mission is to propagate
Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy as expressed through his songs and
dance-dramas.
2. To boost economic ties, the UAE agreed to increase
investments in India to $75 billion (about Rs. 5 lakh crore) including
through a dedicated infrastructure fund, while the two nations will
raise their bilateral trade to nearly $100 billion in five years. UAE's
investment would support investment in India's plans for rapid expansion
of next generation infrastructure, especially in railways, ports,
roads, airports and industrial corridors and parks.
3. Goalkeeper of India's national football team Aditi
Chauhan has signed a deal with English Premier League (EPL) club West
Ham United Ladies team, becoming the first woman player from the country
to play for a first eleven of a top club in England. Aditi was a late
addition to their squad during pre-season. West Ham Ladies are currently
in the Football Association's (FA) Women's Premier League Southern
Division, a league in the third level in the women's football structure
in England.
4. India's Abhishek Verma won the gold medal in the
compound men's individual section in the Archery World Cup Stage 3
competition at Wroclaw, Poland. The Asian Games silver medalist defeated
Esmaeil Ebadi of Iran 148 -145. At the Incehon 2014 Asian Games, Ebadi
defeated Verma 141-145. Apart from this, India's recurve mixed pair of
Deepika Kumari and Mangal Singh Champia won silver at the World Cup
stage 3. The duo faced defeat by Mexican pair of Aida Roman and Juan
Rene Serrano.
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| 19 August 2015 Current Affair Download | Daily GK Updates |
5. Small Farmers’ Agri Business Consortium (SFAC) has
been mandated as the lead promoter of National Agriculture Market (NAM),
the national e-market for agriculture commodities, as announced by the
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). Small Farmers’ Agri
Business Consortium (SFAC) is a registered society of DAC. It has been
mandated as the lead promoter of India’s e-market for agriculture
commodities under the umbrella of the National Agriculture Market.
6. IndiGo, India’s biggest airline by market share
signed a huge $26.55 billion order for purchasing 250 aircrafts from
Europe’s Airbus company, which is the largest ever order (by volume) for
Airbus. It had earlier placed a provisional order for supply of 250
narrow-body A320neo aircrafts from Airbus during October 2014. The
company confirmed that provisional order with Airbus. This order worth
$26.55 billion is the largest supply order for Airbus by volume, i.e.,
the number of aircrafts to be supplied. It is also the second-largest
order by value for Airbus.
7. Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri created history by
becoming the first from the country to finish inside the top-five of a
major golf tournament. 28-year old Anirban Lahiri scaled a new high for
Indian golf by becoming the first from the country to finish inside the
top-five of a Major as he ended the prestigious PGA Championships at
Wisconsin (USA) at fifth place. The tournament was won by Jason Day, who
finally won a Major, after nine top-10 finishes. Branden Grace and
Justin Rose were third and fourth, while Lahiri tied with Brooks Koepka
for fifth place.
8. Tamil Nadu led in employment generation in
manufacturing sector in the country in 2012-13, according to an analysis
done by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(ASSOCHAM). Tamil Nadu was the leading State in employment generation in
the country, generating as much as 15.2% of country’s manufacturing
sector jobs during 2012-13. During this period Tamil Nadu and West
Bengal recorded a positive growth, while others saw a significant
decline.
9. Union Government appointed former Cabinet Secretary
Ajit Kumar Seth as the Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection
Board (PESB). He was appointed for a period of three years or till he
attains 65 years of age. Seth succeeded Atul Chaturvedi, who has
completed his tenure. Seth is a 1974-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh
cadre.
10. The Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok
Gajapathi Raju and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Culture
(Independent Charge) and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma
jointly inaugurated direct flight of Air India’s budget arm, Air India
Express, between Varanasi and Sharjah (UAE). The Varanasi-Sharjah
flight, IX 183, took off from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport,
Varanasi with 170 passengers.
